novelraw Chapter 210: Don’t Touch Her
Chapter 210: Don’t Touch Her
Chapter 210: Don’t Touch Her
Zion Alden walked up to the group.
When his gaze swept past Claire Ainsworth, she visibly stiffened.
’She thought there wasn’t a man in the world who could stun her again, but the man before her did exactly that.’
But Zion Alden walked right past her, went to the counter, picked up the necklace, and walked over to Rachel Royce. "You like this necklace? I’ll buy it for you," he said.
Claire Ainsworth overheard the man. ’He knows Rachel Royce? Is he interested in her?’
She couldn’t help but clench her fists.
’What right does that bitch have, relying on a face full of plastic surgery?’
Rachel Royce gave Zion Alden a cold look and turned to leave.
As Zion Alden reached out to grab her arm, Thomas Sterling, who had been watching him warily, immediately reacted, stepping forward and slapping the man’s hand away.
"Don’t touch her."
Zion Alden looked at his stinging arm where it had been struck. He then looked at Thomas Sterling, his thin lips curling into a chilling smile. "What’s with the dramatics? I just wanted to give Evelynn a gift."
"Thomas, let’s go," Rachel Royce said.
The two of them hadn’t even made it out of the store.
Zion Alden’s bodyguards stepped forward and blocked their path.
Rachel Royce and Thomas Sterling stopped in their tracks.
Thomas Sterling turned to look back at Zion Alden and said in a cold voice, "Young Master Alden, what is the meaning of this?"
Zion Alden walked over to the sofa and slowly sat down, draping his arms over the back. A few unbuttoned buttons on his shirt revealed a solid chest. His gaze was sharp, his posture the height of arrogance.
The young woman who had been with him naturally sat down beside him, leaning against him.
"We don’t see each other often. We should at least have a proper chat."
Claire Ainsworth stood to the side, watching. ’It’s like I’m invisible, completely ignored.’ She glared viciously in Rachel Royce’s direction.
But she could tell that this man and Rachel Royce were probably on bad terms.
That, at least, made her feel a little better.
"Invite Miss Evelynn to come have a seat!" Zion Alden ordered.
There weren’t many other customers in the store at the time.
The store manager, quick on the uptake, politely escorted the incoming customers out.
A bodyguard made an inviting gesture toward Rachel Royce. "Miss Evelynn, if you please."
Rachel Royce stood motionless. She looked at Zion Alden. "Zion Alden, I have nothing to say to you. There is only hatred between us."
Zion Alden let out a low chuckle, his eyes dark. "I’ve always had a soft spot for beautiful women. Evelynn, you’d best be a good girl and come sit down." His voice was laced with threat.
Thomas Sterling stared warily at Zion Alden. "Zion Alden, have you forgotten? You’re not allowed to go near Evelynn."
Zion Alden raised his hand, signaling for his bodyguards to drag Rachel Royce over by force. Thomas Sterling pulled her behind him.
The bodyguards and Thomas Sterling immediately came to blows.
Rachel Royce reached for her phone to call the police.
Just then, a call came in. It was Tristan Sterling’s number.
Before she could decline the call,
Another bodyguard tried to snatch her phone. Rachel Royce quickly pulled it back, accidentally pressing the answer key in the process.
But she didn’t notice at all. She spun around, grabbed a vase from the counter, and smashed it toward the bodyguard. He blocked it with his arm and immediately grabbed her by the wrist.
"Let go!"
Thomas Sterling kicked the bodyguard who was holding Rachel Royce.
On Zion Alden’s orders, the store’s entrance had been shut.
The entire store descended into chaos.
The store manager and staff were at a loss.
Claire Ainsworth, however, stood to the side enjoying the show, a cold, smug curve forming on her lips. Suddenly, she felt a gaze fall upon her. She turned her head and met the man’s dark, chilling eyes. It was like being stared at by a venomous snake.
An inexplicable fear gripped Claire Ainsworth’s heart, leaving her momentarily flustered.
The bodyguard standing beside her looked at Zion Alden.
The bodyguard had just stepped out to call Tristan Sterling. Seeing the situation in the store, he had asked if she wanted to leave first, but Claire Ainsworth had insisted on staying to watch the drama unfold.
She only heard Zion Alden ask, "You said Evelynn is the kind of woman who sleeps her way to the top?" There was no discernible emotion in his voice, but it was inexplicably chilling.
Claire Ainsworth looked at Zion Alden’s handsome face, but his aura was simply too terrifying. Fear overwhelmed all other thoughts; she had no idea what he meant by his question.
’This man is clearly a playboy. He’s probably only interested in Rachel Royce for fun, but she’s playing hard to get, which just stoked his possessiveness.’
’So shameless.’
"Sir, you may not know this, but she used to be fat and ugly, with a vicious heart. Out of unrequited love, she resorted to drugging a man and sleeping with him."
Zion Alden’s lips curled into a smile. "Oh?" he said. "Is that so? Did she sleep with your man?"
Claire Ainsworth didn’t answer, which was a tacit admission.
"But why did I hear Evelynn say that you’re the other woman who broke up someone’s marriage?"
As soon as he said this, the color drained from Claire Ainsworth’s face.
At that moment, the bodyguard’s phone vibrated.
He took it out and answered the call.
"Sir."
"Who else is in the store?"
The bodyguard glanced at the man sitting on the sofa. Recalling that he’d heard someone call him Zion Alden, he lowered his voice and replied, "A gentleman with the surname Alden."
Tristan Sterling hung up.
Immediately after, Zion Alden’s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, he sneered and said to his bodyguards, "That’s enough."
Thomas Sterling and Rachel Royce were being forced back by three bodyguards.
The bodyguards stopped their assault.
Zion Alden answered the call. Hearing what the man on the other end said, he looked at Thomas Sterling with sudden realization. "So he’s your cousin. Now that I look, you two brothers do look a bit alike."
"Just a misunderstanding. I just wanted to invite Evelynn for a cup of tea."
"Why don’t you come over and have a seat? We can clear up this misunderstanding."
"..."
Zion Alden hung up the phone.
The entire store fell deathly silent.
Thomas Sterling glanced at the entrance. The door was already shut.
Everyone else was standing.
Only Zion Alden remained seated on the sofa, his imperious aura keeping everyone else frozen in place.
「A dozen or so minutes later.」
Tristan Sterling and Alexander Sullivan arrived.
Claire Ainsworth finally felt a sense of security. "Tristan, Brother." She hurried forward and threw herself into Tristan Sterling’s arms, letting out an aggrieved sob.
Tristan Sterling placed a large hand on her shoulder. He then looked toward Rachel Royce and Thomas Sterling, his gaze casually sweeping up and down Rachel before landing on Thomas, who was clearly injured.
Alexander Sullivan also looked in Rachel Royce’s direction.
"So, this young lady is your woman, Tristan," Zion Alden’s mocking voice rang out. "A real beauty."
Tristan Sterling withdrew his gaze and looked at him. He patted Claire Ainsworth’s shoulder, and she, with a tear-streaked face, pulled away from his embrace to link her arm with his.
"Crying so hard. I certainly didn’t bully her."
Tristan Sterling didn’t respond to Zion Alden. Instead, he walked toward Rachel Royce and Thomas Sterling and asked Thomas, "Where are you hurt?"
Thomas Sterling said lightly, "I’m fine."
Tristan Sterling grabbed his arm and squeezed. Thomas Sterling winced in pain.
Rachel Royce looked at Thomas Sterling with concern.
Tristan Sterling’s gaze swept over the look in her eyes. He released his hand, turned to the side to face Zion Alden, and his dark eyes grew cold. "So this is what you call ’just a misunderstanding.’"